After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Double Ninth Festival was just around the corner. Tao Wanniang had told her family in advance that she would not be open for business on the Double Ninth Festival because she was going to climb the mountains.
"Is it to climb high and pray for blessings, or to pray for Dad's well-being?" The day before the Double Ninth Festival, after the restaurant closed, Ling Dahu and his wife talked in their room. "Even if Mom doesn't say it, she must still miss Dad."
"What can we do if Mother herself doesn't want to?" Wang Hongyu said helplessly. "Then, shall we go together tomorrow?"
“Mother said no, she hired a carriage to go to the Western Hills herself,” Ling Dahu said. “Mother seems to have changed a lot. The capital city really can change people!”
“Who says otherwise?” Wang Hongyu nodded. She didn’t know that her harsh and picky mother-in-law could actually read and write poetry. Looking at it this way, she had actually married down.
Tao Wanniang just wanted some peace and quiet by herself. Or rather, ever since the incident with the Princess, she needed both a chance to be alone so that someone could make a move, and to see if the other party would actually do it!
The western hills on the outskirts of the city are equally scenic, and there is a Taoist temple there, which also has many believers.
Taowan's daughter wanted to enjoy the scenery and have fun, so she didn't want to go to crowded places.
As she walked, fewer and fewer people appeared on the road, but Tao Wanniang was so engrossed in the mountain scenery that she did not notice.
From afar, she could see a pavilion ahead. Tao Wanniang was tired from walking, so she prepared to rest in the pavilion. But as she got closer, she discovered that there was another person inside.
"Excuse me, I'm just taking a rest. I hope I won't disturb you!" Tao Wanniang asked tentatively, looking at the young man in front of her.
The man shook his head, seemingly feeling a little dizzy, and closed his eyes to rest.
Tao Wanniang didn't think twice. She took out the pastries and water she had brought with her and ate them in small bites. After all, climbing mountains is tiring.
"Um... what are you eating?" the man asked in a hoarse voice. "I'm feeling weak and dizzy, I have no energy. Could you give me something to eat?" Zhao Zhe had never been so disheveled, but what could he do when he was traveling incognito?
“These are pastries I made myself, they’re quite sweet. I have more if you want,” Tao Wanniang replied, glancing at the man’s pale lips.
"I...I want the piece you're holding," Zhao Zhe said weakly, knowing that only she could confirm it wasn't poisonous after eating it herself.
Tao Wanniang was embarrassed. Was the man alright? But seeing how weak he looked, she thought for a moment and handed it over. "Here you go!"
Zhao Zhe held the pastry, looking disgusted, then took a bite of the part that Tao Wanniang hadn't bitten. So sweet!
After eating the sweet pastries, Zhao Zhe recovered and stopped eating.
"Big sister, do you still have some left? Could you give me a piece that I haven't eaten yet?"
Tao Wanniang also noticed the man's disgust at the spot she had bitten, so... what was he afraid of? Then, seeing that the man's expression had softened, she couldn't help but guess, "You're not suffering from low blood sugar, are you?"
"Huh?" Zhao Zhe was puzzled.
"If you don't eat for a long time, in addition to hunger, you will also experience dizziness, weakness, sweating, and paleness. But after eating sweets, you will recover quickly," Tao Wanniang explained.
Zhao Zhe sized up Tao Wanniang and tentatively asked, "Elder sister, are you a doctor?"
“No, I run a small restaurant,” Tao Wanniang replied. “My ancestors were doctors.”
"I see." Zhao Zhe continued to scrutinize Tao Wanniang. "Did you come alone, elder sister?"
"Hmm, alone." This person was being treated like a census taker, so Tao Wanniang decided it was best to leave first. "Um, brother, I'm leaving now. I finally had some free time today, so I came out to have some fun."
"Thank you, ma'am. Leave your name here, and I'll send you a small gift later as a token of my appreciation," Zhao Zhe said with a smile.
"A small farmhouse restaurant, that's me, Tao Wanniang!" Her intuition told her that this man was unusual, but Tao Wanniang wasn't intimidated. She hadn't stolen, robbed, or harmed anyone. This man looked extraordinary, so he might just be a sucker.
"Sister Tao, take care," Zhao Zhe said with a smile.
Tao Wanniang didn't say much, packed her things, and left.
Not long after, several men who looked quite skilled appeared beside Zhao Zhe, clearly going to look for something.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I met a lady who was out having fun, and I ate two pieces of her pastry." Zhao Zhe was still holding the pastry that Tao Wan's mother had given him later, which he hadn't tried yet. He had that hypoglycemia thing, and he usually carried some candy with him, but he had forgotten to because he was in such a hurry this time.
"Your Majesty, this is a stranger's thing..." The guard was somewhat panicked.
"I'm fine, aren't I? Have you heard of Tao Wan Niang, the farmhouse restaurant?" Zhao Zhe asked with a slight smile.
"This isn't..." The guard was even more surprised.
Zhao Zhe nodded. "She's quite an unconventional older sister. To meet her like this, isn't it just fate?"
Neither of the two guards dared to say anything more and could only stand quietly to the side.
"Let's go, hasn't he already gone down the mountain?"
Tao Wanniang circled the mountaintop, but no one came to kidnap her, which was quite disappointing. Seeing that it was getting dark, she went down the mountain.
After the Double Ninth Festival, life went on as usual, and the restaurant remained open.
When Liang Laifu and the people from the escort agency arrived, Ling Dapeng didn't know whether to welcome them in or chase them away.
"What are you standing there for, waiter? Why are you letting us in?"
Ling Dapeng led the five people inside and seated them. "Our signature dishes are hanging on the wall. Please take a look, and call me if you'd like to order." After saying this, Ling Dapeng dashed off like the wind.
"Mom, something bad has happened! Liang Laifu is here!" Ling Dapeng said in a low voice as he entered the kitchen, but Xiao Qiao'er heard him too.
"What's he doing here?" Tao Wan's mother asked, taken aback. "Is he here for dinner? How many people are coming?"
“Five of them, they should all be from the escort agency, but they’re not the same group that came last time,” Ling Dapeng said.
"Just order what you want to eat, treat us like guests," Tao Wanniang said. "Don't make a fuss. Even if the King of Heaven himself comes, don't cause trouble, just treat him like a guest."
"Oh, I understand." Seeing this, Ling Dapeng calmed himself down and went out.
“Little Qiao’er, it’s okay if you want to acknowledge her as your father, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t. Some facts can’t be changed, but you can choose,” Tao Wan’s mother said to the little Qiao’er who was affected by the situation.
Xiao Qiao gritted her teeth, struggling somewhat.
"Mother, he came to eat, not to see me," Xiao Qiao'er said after a while.
"Oh, then let's get back to work," Tao Wanniang said casually, without offering any further advice.
Soon, the menu for Liang Laifu's table was delivered. Tao Wanniang glanced at it and quickly started cooking. It's just Liang Laifu, no wonder he came!
"Brother Liang, we owe you a lot for this escort mission. From now on, you're our brother."
"That's right, Brother Liang. Your kung fu is so good, and you risked your life to save the chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a nickname for a镖局 is a type of ...
After a few drinks, Liang Laifu and his group started talking, which Ling Dapeng overheard.
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